One Step Below
by PhoenixFlame53
Summary: News of Phoenix Wright's disbarment has spread across L.A like wildfire, and the ex-lawyer in question seems to have given up. But, as he always seems to do, Miles Edgeworth manages to worm his way back into Phoenix's life, and changes everything. In many more ways than one.


I haven't written much narumitsu on here, so here you go, some more for the people over here on .

This was inspired by purely looking through the narumitsu tag on Tumblr and having an incredible amount of angsty feels over Hobo Phoenix. (Who I'm also gonna be cosplaying later this year.)

I really hope you enjoy this! It'll have more chapters soon. :D

* * *

As Miles Edgeworth turned the key in the lock of his car and hastily opened the door, climbing in and starting up the engine, his heart was in his mouth. Each thump that he could hear oh so clearly was to him heralding something terribly wrong, as if his world was falling apart by the beat of the drums. A few hours prior it had been raining, but now it was clear; it was with the sharp stench of petrichor in the air that Miles Edgeworth left the parking lot of the Prosecutor's Office.

* * *

Detective Gumshoe had told him the news. Miles rarely saw him without a look of confusion on his face, and when Gumshoe had entered his office with an all-too-familiar slam of the door, Miles looked up from his work- only to see hurt and betrayal.

Miles had, on instinct, stood up.

"Detective, what's wrong?" It was not a question, it was a demand.

Gumshoe looked as if he was going to speak, but no words came out. The detective looked as if he was about to cry at any moment, and passed him a newspaper. "Sir." The title came out in almost a whisper, making Miles feel sick to his stomach. Something was not right.

He reached out for his reading glasses and put them on with clusmy fingers, reading the title of the newspaper article circled on red highlighter- the needless colour being Gumshoe's work, no doubt.

 **Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright: has he been lying to everyone? Klavier Gavin, prosecutor prodigy, proves that Wright used forged evidence in middle of the State VS Gramarye trial**

'Forged evidence' cut through him like a knife. Phoenix Wright, use forged evidence? That was ludicrous. Phoenix Wright was a man to be trusted, a man who cares for his defendants, a man who everyone could-

 _ **Wright was found guilty of using forged diary page in his cross-examination and was quickly disbarred from a promising career- will he never step foot into a courtroom again? Lotta Hart, star reporter, investigates**_

Never step foot in a courtroom again?

Phoenix Wright?

They surely had the wrong man. This couldn't be true.

But as Miles looked up from the newspaper and back into Gumshoe's pained expression, he knew that it was. And he knew that someone must have thrown a spanner in the works, but he couldn't tell who.

* * *

Miles parked himself in the parking lot of the Gatewater Hotel, not caring about the fees he'd have to pay, now that the hotel was a success. Three days. It had been three days that Phoenix Wright had holed himself up in that office, and according to Gumshoe, he hadn't made any contact with friends whatsoever, nor had he exited that door. Miles was certain that the Wright and Co. Law Offices had a running supply of water, and most likely some sort of food, but the fact that it had been three whole days of complete isolation for someone such as Phoenix Wright bothered him immensely.

Miles raced down the road and onto the pavement, sweat glistening on his face. It had been three days and today was the day that he was going to change things. Anything and everything was on the line, and Miles didn't know what Phoenix could turn to if he reacted badly. Alcohol? Tobacco? Maybe even-

No **.** He was not going to think about any other possibility until he got there and saw for himself, and so he kept on running until he reached the door.

* * *

Miles pushed the button on the intercom and gathered himself- every feeling he had felt since the moment he had found out, to the moment he had raced down the pavement, needed to be quenched. Even though he knew it would be hard to do so, he had to stay calm, so very calm.

Clouds littered the sky above him, and yet it did not rain.

"Wright," Miles spoke, a small sigh escaping his lips.

Was it irritation, or was it sorrow?

" _Phoenix._ " He corrected himself, knowing that using the first name would definitely garner some attention from the other man. "I know you're in there, so please. Talk to me."

Silence made the few other possibilities so much more prominent to Miles, and his words came out pleadingly. " _Please._ I just need to know that you're okay."

"I'm fine." The despondent voice on the other end jolted Miles back to his senses, and he couldn't help but smile- if only for a few seconds- in utter relief. Oh God. He's fine. He's fine. He's fine.

"Phoenix." Miles' voice was trembling with emotion he tried so hard to keep buried. "I know you didn't forge that evidence."

" _How?_ " It came out cold and alien. It was like they had never met.

"I just, just _know_ ," Miles replied with much more force behind his voice, "that Phoenix Wright wouldn't forge evidence."

"It doesn't matter if I forged it or not." Phoenix was breathing hard and quiet on the other side of the intercom, and soon enough his angry tone faded away to almost nothing. "I'm not a lawyer any more. I can't do anything."

"Yes, you can." Miles was louder, more determined. "If you didn't forge that evidence, then you can go back in and tell them, you can change everything, you can-"

"Tell them what they already know? _I_ accepted that diary page. _I_ used it. So it's _my_ fault!" Miles could hear Phoenix's voice begin to crack as he shouted. "My badge is gone, and rumours are spreading, and everyone's saying I'm a terrible person. And they're all right about it, about everything."

Miles couldn't reply.

"It's over for me, and there's nothing that I can do, okay...?"

And Miles hung his head as sobs filled his ears.

* * *

For twenty minutes, there was no sound apart from that, Miles waiting and waiting and waiting. Once Phoenix had stopped, Miles looked back up at the intercom in hope of something.

"You should go, Miles." It was soft, and lonely, and desperate. And Miles knew he had to leave Phoenix alone, to let him get better on his own, for the most part.

* * *

"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Miles moved the phone away from his ear slightly, so his eardrums wouldn't be affected by the yells coming down the phone. "YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE UP ON HIM?!"

"He needs to be left alone." Miles sighed, trying to get his point across to the girl. After retreating back to his car and calling the one person who would most likely know what to do, Miles hadn't expected her to put up such a fight."He needs a while to think about this."

"No, he needs _YOU!_ " After her outburst, Maya's voice died down. "He needs _you_."

A pause.

"But, I..." Miles didn't know how to reply. "What should I do?"

"Just don't give up on him." Maya was determined now, and her voice was clearer. "No matter what he says. Nick can't get through this without help, and you're...you're important to him. Maybe he'll remember that."

Maya Fey hung up the phone.

* * *

Miles Edgeworth nodded to himself before getting out of his car, locking the door, and making his way briskly towards the Gatewater Hotel's lavish entrance.

He had a room to book.


End file.
